Let me begin by stating that this is NOT the highly collectible original CD, this is a 2005 REISSUE by Retrospect Records. The original CD is one of the rarest U.S. indies out there. It commands a hefty sum ($300-500+) on Ebay for a mint original. The Retrospect reissue is available for $30 + shipping at their website. For those interested, the CD is pressed on a green-tinted CDR, the front cover art is a bit blurry, and there is no extensive booklet. If you care about the music (I do!), this CD is worth it. If you prefer silver-pressed CDs and the original artwork/booklet, then I would keep waiting for an original. This reissue is one of Retrospect’s first releases so I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt because newer reissues are silver-pressed with extensive art, etc.

On to the music….

This is pretty good stuff for a band that hadn’t been signed. Imagine the late ’80s/early ’90s sound and that’s what is on this disc. You’ve got great vocals, great hooks and melody, and guitar solos! Nothing is better than solos, I wish they would come back in today’s music. Let The Love Begin starts the album off with a power kick and Down And Lonely brings it to a nice ’80s groove. Some other quality tunes: Broken Heart Charity Ball, Too Late To Cry, and the audience-flavored Rockin’ Tonight. This is fast becoming one of my favorite indies.

Post navigation

70 comments on “Friction – Baby Talk (1990)”

I HAVE ONE IN VERY GOOD + SHAPE. BOOKLET IS CRISP WITH ALL 4 CORNERS SHARP, SOME MINOR TAB INDENTS ON TOP BACKPAGE. DISC SHOWS MINOR SCUFFING NONE VERY DEEP AND THE DEEPEST OF THOSE IS OUTSIDE PLAY AREA…CAN SEND PICS WITH. NO SCAM, IF YOUR STILL INTERESTED I CAN GIVE MY EBAY ID TO CHECK MY REP… FEEDBACK IS 100%. LET ME KNOW SOON CAUSE THIS IS GONNA ROCK SOMEONES CHRISTMAS SOME WHERE. THANKS

I HAVE LISTED A NEAR PERFECT ORIGINAL FRICTION,BABY TALK ON EBAY. JEWEL CASE ,BOOKLET IN PERFECT CONDITION AND OF COURSE THE CD ITSELF IS NEAR 100% CONDITION. THIS IS THE ONE EVERYONE IS LOOKING FOR. CHECK OUT EBAY FOR IT ENDS IN A FEW DAYS. RIGHT NOW ITS UP TO $83.00.

I HAVE CHECK AROUND AND HAVE NOT FOUND ANYONE ELSE SELLIN THIS CD. THIS CD IS ORIGINAL FROM 1990. GET THE WORD AROUND TO WHO EVER IS LOOKING FOR THIS CD. IT WILL END WITHIN 2 DAYS ON EBAY. GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL

I concur with Dal, nice to see the guys honored. Marty (bass) was a close friend of mine when I went to school at Edinboro and while they were recording this. Their music never got the respect it deserved although they had plenty of gigs. Yes, I have an original, but these were good memories to me, I am not ready to part with them. Check out http://www.virginpockets.com–an amatuer film that will feature their music. Also, to Dal, I’d like to see some early X-it music featured somewhere too; I loved you guys as well!

I remember this band from a while back…. loved the tunes… but unfortunately I never got a hold of the CD….. would love to listen to “broken heart charity ball” again… one of my favorites!! I didn’t realize they were never signed and that their CDs are so rare….. oh well

Bill – I found it hard to believe that they were never signed as well. For years I heard how great this CD was in collector’s circles but the high prices made me cringe. Retrospect might still have the CD in stock.

Wow, I’m shocked to hear one of hteir CD’s went for close to $600. Kudos to those guys. I spent my early twenties in Erie dancing to these guys music at the bars. I never got a CD, but I have an original Cassette, I planned on burning into a CD.

It’s funny. My husband and I met at a Friction show and before we had kids we saw them EVERY weekend. As a matter of fact, we just saw Marty and the Earthquakers last night (New Years Eve). We had seen the Friction reunion show a few years back too – but it just wasn’t the same without Marty.

Actually, my senior year in high school “Rockin’ Tonight was the #10 song on the K-104 countdown. Ahhh, the memories . . .

And guess what – we have an original 1990 Nizer Top Records copy of Baby Talk that is MINT! And I’m not kidding how great the condition of this entire thing is. Booklet, case and CD are all MINT! Perfect! Like it was just opened! We are not interested in selling it right now because it means way too much to us. Those songs and those guys were amazing. There are a couple of songs that were changed for the cd that I thought were much better before they changed them. “Down and Lonely” is one of the songs that was changed for the cd that I can remember off the top of my head.

It was cool to stumble upon this Friction flashback on New Years Day 2008. Happy New Year everyone and here’s to 26 years of Friction that I remember!

I can’t believe these guys are still playing. Has there ever been any talk of a proper silver-pressed re-issue of ‘Baby Talk’… or are there any other tracks/albums lying around on the studio floor that could ever see the light of day?

I have an original Friction Baby Talk CD never opened! This is NOT a reproduction. I am in Erie, PA and know the guys, in fact my guitar was used on some of the songs recorded for the CD. I am thinking about puting it on ebay

Wow! I used to watch these guys all the time when I lived in Erie. I myself took some theory lessons with Dave B, even though I play bass. Marlon also, is one of the nicest guys you could ever hope to meet. There sure were some great bands in Erie from this era. Friction, X-it, Damien Steele, Psyclone, Strike, Loudhouse. I sure miss those days!!

I used to go to almost every psyclone gig – I was a girlfriend of their roadie – and worked my second job with Aaron. However, I ended up getting divorced from that said roadie and now have no access to my psyclone CD. You wouldn’t happen to have one and be aboe to burn me a copy would you?

FIRST, WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR ALL THE INTEREST IN FRICTION AND OUR BABY TALK CD, WE KNEW WE HAD SOMETHING SPECIAL THEN AND AFTER ALL THESE YEARS IT’S NICE TO KNOW PEOPLE ARE STILL ENJOYING THE OUR MUSIC. THERE HAS BEEN ALOT OF PEOPLE ASKING IF WE STILL ARE TOGETHER AND PLAYING, UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE NOT, BUT HERE’S THE GOOD NEWS, BECAUSE OF ALL THE INTEREST, WE ARE PLANNING A SHOW IN NOVENBER WITH ALL THE ORIGINAL MEMBERS BOB, MARTY, MARLIN, DAVE, MATT, AND YES WE WILL BE PLAYING THE SONGS FROM THE BABY TALK CD AS WELL AS ALL THE CLASSIC ROCK THAT WE USED TO DO. THERE WILL ALSO BE BABY TALK CD’S AND TEE SHIRTS FOR SALE AT THE SHOW. THE EXACT DATE AND TIME HAS NOT BEEN SET IN STONE BUT WHEN IT IS I WILL LET EVERYBODY KNOW ON THIS WEBSITE, BUT ALSO KEEP YOUR EYES AND EARS OPEN BECAUSE THERE WILL BE ALOT OF ADVERTISEING FOR THE SHOW. SO ONCE AGAIN THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE INTEREST IN FRICTION.

WELL, THAT’S WHAT I GET FOR RUSHING THREW EVERYTHING, FIRST, SORRY ABOUT MY SPELLING MISTAKES, BUT WHAT’S MORE IMPORTANT IS I FORGOT TO PUT OUR DRUMMERS NAME WITH THE REST OF OURS, SO YES RON WILL BE WITH US.

I just got on this site and read your posts from as recent as July. I wanted to see if Friction was still planning on getting together in November. I went to Edinboro and we used to go to Feelgoods in Conneaut OH to see you guys play on Wed and Fri nights in the late 80s. Would love to see and hear you guys play one more time!!!

WELL, HERE IT IS, ON NOVEMBER 26, 2008 AT RAINBOW GARDENS IN ERIE, PA. FROM 8-11:00 WE WILL BE PLAYING WITH ALL THE ORIGINAL MEMBERS, THE DOORS OPEN AT 7:00. IT IS BYOB AND OF COURSE NOBODY UNDER THE AGE OF 21 CANNOT DRINK ANY KIND OF ALCOHOL.
SO IF YOU LIKE ALOT OF VOLUME, BIG PRODUCTION AND A GREAT SHOW WE HOPE YOU CAN MAKE IT OUT. WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR ALL THE INTEREST IN FRICTION, AND HOPEFULLY THIS WON’T BE THE LAST SHOW WE DO. IF YOU NEED TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH THE BAND, GO TO http://WWW.MYSPACE.COM AND TYPE IN FRICTION, IF THERE IS ANY ADDED INFO OR CHANGES WE POST THE INFO THERE.

HELLO EVERYBODY, THE MY SPACE SITE DOESN’T SEEM TO BE WORKING FOR US, BUT WE JUST GOT OUR WEBSITE GOING, SO YOU COULD GO THERE FOR ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONCERT OR ABOUT ANY FRICTION INFORMATION. http://WWW.FRICTIONROCKS.COM,

TO ANDRE FROM AUSTRALIA, PLEASE CONTACT US THREW OUR WEBSITE AND WE WILL TRY TO GET YOU HOOKED UP WITH A T-SHIRT,
I DON’T THINK THEY HAVE BEEN MADE YET BUT STAY IN TOUCH, WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO GET YOU THE INFO.

Was updating my iPod (which the Friction album is on) and ran across another Erie name…..Stabilizers. Listened to them again. No comparison….Friction still rocks. There is “another” Friction on ITunes. Would rather see you guys there…but I still have the CD….

MY GOOD FRIENDS IN FRICTION GOT ME INTO ROCK N ROLL BY SEING THEM PLAY @PEPSI DAYS AND RAINBOW GARDENS.ME AND MY FRIENDS WILL BE ATTENDING THERE SHOW.CANT WAIT.AND A LITTLE SECRET..BOB AND DAVE USED MY BASS GUITAR ON SOME OF THE BABY TALK CD. IT WAS A YAMAHA BB 300’BILLY SHEAN ADDITION’ BE READY FOR A GREAT SHOW!!!GEORGE MERCED/CHROME

BOB, MARLON, RON, DAVE, MATT – THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES!!http://WWW.FRICTIONROCKS.COM IS THE OFFICIAL SITE FOR FRICTION. THANKS AGAIN TO ALL OUR FANS, ALL THE VOLUNTEER CREW AND THE PRODUCTION STAFF FOR MAKING THE REUNION SHOW A GREAT SHOW FOR ALL. WE’VE BEEN GETTING RESPONCE FOR THE CDS FROM AUSTRALIA, GERMANY, SWEDEN, JAPAN, CANADA AND ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES!! CHECK THE WEBSITE FOR NEWS ABOUT FRICTION AND THE DVD!! THANKS

My brother in law just wrote me from his ship where he is currently on duty. He was asking me if I could find the lyrics to a song called “Wave Goodbye To A Friend” for him. I have searched everywhere and can’t seem to find the lyrics. If anyone could post them on here, I would be so grateful. He told me “I loved the lyrics and they helped me get by losing my mom.” Thank you, thank you, thank you if anyone has the lyrics.

I can still remember your face and your jokes and your smiles
the memories go on and on, they go on in my mind for a million miles
I can say stop but the pain never ends
And if you look in my eyes you see i can’t pretend
And the ways of fate, you cannot bear
And the hardest thing in life to do is
Wave goodbye to a friend
Left behind your broken dreams and your game of life to play
You had it all in the palm of your hands, someone came and took it all away
Forever your friend, and thats the way i’ll die
as long as i have eyes there’ll be tears to cry (chorus) out.

Hi Mike… Your dad did play with the band in the REALLY early years. I am the original drummer along with Bob & Marty. I played from 1977-1980, took a break for college 80-84 where Dave Wyzykowski filled in, then returned from 1984-1990. Rich was our first REAL lead guitarist. We used to play at “The Abbey” by Peak n Peak in NY. We played many Wednesday night “Drink & Drowns” & weekends there. You’ll have to ask him if he remembers the ride home in Bob’s Black Challenger after the first time playing there. I’m not sure if I still have any pics with him in them. I’ll have to go back and look.

And don’t get confused with the band on FRiCTiON-ROCKS.com & Facebook/Friction & Twitter@FRICTIONROCKS!!!
They are NOT this band.

Hey, my dad loved listening to friction! He grew up right out side Erie (Harborcreek to be exact) and was reminiscing earlier about them, and i was thinking if i could get him a copy by around fathers day he would love it soooo much. so if any of you are selling/know someone who is selling a friction cd (original or not) i would love to see if i can get it for him.
You can contact me, if needed, at soccergirlj12@yahoo.com
Thank You.!

I met some of the guys from Friction while I was in Florida with my band recording our first album at B-Land studios. This was the very studio where “Baby Talk” was either mixed or mastered at on a beautiful SSL G Series recording console. (I don’t recall if they mixed it there or just mastered…Will have to look in the liner notes ;) ) I guess I was there for part of history and didn’t know it! The Friction guys were THE nicest guys you would ever want to meet. Stayed in touch with them for a good while after they went back to PA. and they even sent me a copy of Baby Talk when they had the cd pressed.

If any of the members are on here, a big hello from your old friend from Louisiana!! (Live in Houston now) Please send me your Facebook info or myspace info, would love to add you guys as friends and catch up…

You can now see videos from their reunioun concert on http://www.youtube.com/gmdfilms I got the privilege of being part of filming it. And getting to know the band from it. Marty is still strutting his stuff as an “Earth Quaker” they were also featured in “For Richer of Poorer”

Heavy Metal Addiction Media Requests & Contact Information

If you are a band, label or publicist that would like to have albums reviewed, news posted or interviews scheduled.....or you just want to get in touch with Heavy Metal Addiction.....please use the email and mailing address below.